“E-Band” refers to any frequency within the following ranges: 71 to 76 gigahertz (GHz), 81 to 86 GHz, and 92 to 95 GHz. Transmissions in this frequency range are characterized by relatively short distances, such as distances on the order of about 10 miles and antennas with relatively narrow beamwidths, when compared to lower frequency transmission. For example, E-band communications may be used to solve the so-called “last mile” access challenge in situations where fiber optic connectivity is either too expensive or not a viable option.
Recognizing the utility of E-Band communications, the Federal Communication Commission authorized rules for 13 GHz of spectrum in the E-Band frequency range (i.e., 71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz, and 92-95 GHz) enabling multi-gigabit-per-second communications. This large amount of newly issued spectrum allows radio manufacturers to design low cost, multi-gigabit capacity wireless systems. Consequently, E-Band communication systems are being implemented using technologies, such as MMIC (monolithic millimeter wave integrated circuit) based wireless technology, to provide low cost and high performance communication systems.
An obstacle to using E-Band communications is the alignment of antennas used in the E-Band frequency range. Since the frequencies are relatively high, the beamwidth of the antennas used in E-Band communications have very narrow beamwidths, when compared to traditional microwave antennas. The narrow beamwidths of E-Band antennas make it more difficult to align the antenna. For example, when establishing an E-Band communication link using two E-Band transceivers, the antennas must be aligned to enable communications. Poor alignment may result in no signal or a degraded signal at the E-Band transceiver.